By Manjula Basnayake
Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has ordered his ministry to request Police to carry out an investigation into the incident of a Sri Lankan Cricket fan harassing a foreign lady during the Sri Lanka-West Indies 2nd ODI held in Hambantota.
Video of a Sri Lankan cricket fan intimidating a young foreign couple cheering the Sri Lanka team at Hambantota Cricket stadium went viral on social media for the past few days.
The caption of the said video, originally posted in Sinhala by one Sandun Sandaruwan Weerawardhana, roughly translates to “post your comments on the following act. This foreign tourist couple were there to cheer the Sri Lankan team. But this Sri Lankan youth pressured them by intimidating to remove the flag wrapped around her and then they left because they were afraid. This happened at the 2nd ODI held in Hambantota Suriyawewa International Cricket ground”.
Most took social media to condemn the act of the Sri Lankan youth for intimidating foreign tourists and tarnishing the image of Sri Lankans’ hospitality and friendly nature towards everyone.
“We are sorry” Sri Lanka Cricket fans took social media to apologise to a foreign couple.